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How to Make a Chocolate Yule Log Cake

An Easy, But Delicious Chocolate Yule Log
Perefect for Christmas or New Year's!

This chocolate Yule log recipe is easy to follow, with step by step
directions, and photos for each step. Yet the recipes produces an absolutely
delicious chocolate Yule log, that looks like it came from a gourmet bakery.
Options are explained for several types of filling, to meet your tastes and
needs; such as a chocolate Yule log with chocolate filling and chocolate
icing, or with a white vanilla filling (shown at right)

The recipe below produces an awesome light, fluffy and very chocolately,
Yule log with a light chocolate sponge cake rolled with an equally light
egg-white and cocoa-based filling, then frosted with a chocolate icing! The
photos accompanying each step should help make it even easier! I've included
some suggestions if you'd rather have a white or other filling.

Yield: one long (12 to 14 inch) log, or 2 short (7 inch) logs

Ingredients

Cake

5 eggs, separated into yolks and whites

1 cup sugar, divided into two 1/2 cup amounts

1/2 cup cake flour

1/4 cup baking cocoa (powdered cocoa, 70% or greater cocoa, no added
sugar is best, two brands are shown in the photos at right) *

Icing

3 tablespoons melted butter (margarine doesn't work as well, since
it isn't as hard at room temperature)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup powdered cocoa*

* If you can't get powdered cocoa, you can use 4 squares of
unsweetened baking chocolate instead in place of 1/4 cup of powdered
cocoa..

Materials

Shallow baking pan, Maximum size: 11" by 17" (27cm by 43cm)

Mixer, obviously and electric mixer (stand or hand held) is easiest.

Oven

Parchment paper, also called baking paper. Waxed paper is NOT
the same.

Measuring cups and spoons

Recipe and Directions

Making the Yule log cake sheet

Step 1 - Separate your eggs

Separate the 5 yolks from whites, obviously into two separate bowls.
Place egg whites in a small mixing bowl and let the whites stand at room
temperature for 30 minutes or more.

Step 2 - Line a pan with parchment

Grease a baking pan, then line the pan with parchment
paper. Finally, grease the parchment paper. I use Coconut oil as the grease, but you could use butter,
margarine or even (yuck) animal lard. This recipe presumes a 15 inch
by 10 inch by 1/2 inch deep pan, but you can use a pan that is
larger in any dimension(s), and just crimp the parchment paper at
the proper dimensions.

Step 3 - Beat the egg yolks

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks on high until they are light
and fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating for a few minutes, until
thick and lemon-colored.

Step 4 - Mix the dry ingredients

In a dry bowl, combine the

1/2 cup cake flour

1/4 cup baking cocoa (powdered cocoa)

1/4 teaspoon salt

with a whisk.

Step 5 - Mix the flour mixture with the egg yolks

Slowly the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and blend on medium,
until well mixed.

Step 6 - In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites, and add the sugar

Beat egg whites
(in a separate clean bowl) on medium until foamy. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of cream of
tartar. Continue to beat until soft peaks form. then, slowly add the
remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form.

Step 7 -
Fold the egg whites into the chocolate flour mixture

Slowly and gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate flour mixture,
until no streaks remain.

Step 8 - Gently spread the batter into the
pan

Gently spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Step 9 - Bake for 12 minutes

Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until cake
springs back (do not over bake; certainly not more than 15 minutes. It is
better to under bake rather than over bake!).

Step 10 - Cool and
peel

Cool the cake for 5 minutes, then invert onto a linen towel dusted with
confectioners' sugar (or another piece of parchment paper, dusted with the
powdered sugar). Peel off parchment paper.

Step 11
-Roll the cake

Roll the cake up in the towel or paper, starting with a short side. Then
let it cool on a wire rack. The cake portion is now done! If you need
to take a break, put the cake in a sealed container or plastic bag.

Making the filling

Choice of fillings:

Steps
12 and 13 makes a very light, fluffy and tasty chocolate filling (shown at
left, prior to frosting the outside).

If you want a white filling instead (shown below), check out the
alternatives, below.

Alternatives:

If you are in a hurry or want a white filling, you could instead
just use a topping like "Cool Whip"; but it would need to be served
within hours, before the Cool Whip melted and went flat.

Another white filling can be made by whipping 1 cup of whipping
cream until it is light and fluffy, then beating in 1/2 cup powdered
sugar. Obviously, this requires the cake to be kept refrigerated, except
when serving it.

For a mocha (coffee) filling, add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee
granules to any of these above.

Step 12 - Whip 4 egg whites

Whip
4 egg whites in a clean dry mixing bowl until fluffy peaks form.

Step 13 - Slowly add the powdered sugar

Add
the 1 and a half cups of powdered (icing or confectioner's sugar) to the
mixer. Then add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup powdered baking
cocoa. Whip briefly, but to a uniform color.

Step 14 - Unroll the cake

Unroll the cake!
If you want to make two shorter cakes, simply cut the cake in half before
unrolling it. The advantage of this is, you can make one with chocolate
filling, the other with a white filling, or mocha, etc.

Step 15 - Spread the filling on the cake

Spread it about at least 1/4 inch thick, up to a maximum of 1/2 inch
thick.

Of course, if you made one of the white alternative fillings, it would
look like this, instead:

Step 16 - Roll up the cake again

Gently and loosely roll the cake, not squeezing! You don't want to
squeeze out the filling. Again, the chocolate filling is on the left, the
white buttercream (or whipped cream) is on the right. Now, while the white
icing looks better, the chocolate tastes much better... in my
opinion.

Making the Icing
(frosting)

This is an easy and delicious chocolate icing!

Alternatives: If you are in a hurry, you can use a pre-made,
store-bought can of chocolate frosting / icing, instead.

Continued from "Making the filling", just before step 12. Buttercreams of
this type of a bit more stable at room temperature than whipped cream
fillings

Ingredients (for United States)

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1 lb. (about 4 cups) powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

Vanilla Extract, a few drops, up to 1/4 teaspoon

Ingredients (for the UK and Europe)

250g (9oz) Icing (confectioners) Sugar

125g (4-1/2oz) Butter, softened

1 or 2 tablespoons of Milk or Cream

Vanilla Extract, a few drops, up to 1/4 teaspoon

Recipe

Cream with an electric mixer the butter and sugar until it is soft
and light.

Add the vanilla and just enough milk (or cream) to produce a
fairly stiff spreading consistency. Start with a small amount of milk
(start with just a couple of tablespoons) - you may not need all of it.

Cream (whip) the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until it is
soft and light.

Add the vanilla and just enough milk (or cream) to produce a
fairly stiff spreading consistency. Start with a small amount of milk
(start with just a couple of tablespoons) - you may not need all of it.'

Add the cocoa and mix well!

Feedback and Comments

Comments from a visitor on December 24, 2011: "I just wanted to say
that I just finished making the Christmas Yule Log from your recipe. I
had looked for a recipe and found that yours was the easiest to follow
with the clear directions and photos. Plus, we were in the middle of a
snowstorm and I had all the ingredients for your recipe on hand! It's
clearing up and we're heading out for a Christmas Eve celebration with
friends and, thanks to your website, taking along a stunning dessert!
Merry Christmas to all!"

This page was updated on

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